Prunus dulcis/Almond Tree.
xe2x80x98Wintersxe2x80x99.
The xe2x80x98Nonpareilxe2x80x99 almond variety (non-patented in the United States) is recognized to form an almond crop of high market quality. During 1999 it is estimated that approximately 41 percent of total California, U.S.A., almond acreage was planted with the xe2x80x98Nonpareilxe2x80x99 variety. Since the xe2x80x98Nonpareilxe2x80x99 variety is self-sterile, it is essential for almond growers to provide a nearby pollen source from a cross-compatible almond variety. Since the early xe2x80x98Nonpareilxe2x80x99 bloom contains the highest proportion of viable flowers, it is crucial to provide ample pollen from an appropriate source at this time to assure a maximum crop set. Traditional almond pollenizers such as the xe2x80x98Ne Plus Ultraxe2x80x99 variety (non-patented in the United States) and the xe2x80x98Solanoxe2x80x99 variety (non-patented in the United States) often bloom too early to have good overlap with the flowering of the xe2x80x98Nonpareilxe2x80x99 variety. The breeding program that resulted in the creation of the new variety of the present invention was carried out at the Wolfskill Experimental Orchard of the University of California located near Winters, Calif., U.S.A. The cross that produced the new variety of Prunus dulcis of the present invention can be summarized as follows:
Selection 3-1xc3x97Selection 6-27. 
Selection 3-1 possessed the following pedigree:
xe2x80x98Peerlessxe2x80x99xc3x97xe2x80x98Harpareilxe2x80x99 {xe2x80x98Harriotxe2x80x99xc3x97xe2x80x98Nonpareilxe2x80x99}. 
Selection 6-27 possessed the following pedigree:
xe2x80x98Nonpareilxe2x80x99xc3x97xe2x80x98Jordanoloxe2x80x99 {xe2x80x98Harriotxe2x80x99xc3x97xe2x80x98Nonpareilxe2x80x99}. 
Each of the plants leading to the creation of the new variety is non-patented in the United States.
The progeny of the above cross were carefully observed and studied. Such study resulted in the selection of the variety of the present invention. It was found that a single plant of the new variety of the present invention resulted from such controlled breeding and such plant has been carefully preserved in view of its highly desirable combination of characteristics. Thermotherapy treatment was used to eliminate viruses once initial virus indexing provided a positive indication for Prunus Ring Spot Virus.
It was found that the new Prunus dulcis variety of the present invention possesses the following combination of characteristics:
(a) Displays good bloom overlap with the xe2x80x98Nonpareilxe2x80x99 variety and is cross-compatible with the xe2x80x98Nonpareilxe2x80x99 variety,
(b) Exhibits an upright and spreading growth habit,
(c) Produces abundant lateral vegetative growth on current season shoots which makes possible high tree productivity, and
(d) Exhibits desirable fruit and kernel characteristics for shelled and processed almond production.
The new variety generally provides more fruiting wood than the xe2x80x98Nonpareilxe2x80x99 variety. The fruit hangs well on the tree and is easy to harvest. Such harvest commonly occurs approximately 3 to 4 weeks after that of the xe2x80x98Nonpareilxe2x80x99 variety. An improved pollenizer for the xe2x80x98Nonpareilxe2x80x99 variety is provided.
The new variety of the present invention has been asexually reproduced by budding and grafting at Davis, Calif., U.S.A. and at Parlier, Calif., U.S.A. Such propagation has confirmed that the characteristics of the new variety are stable and are reliably transmitted to subsequent generations.
It should be understood that the inherently exhibited characteristics of the new variety described herein may vary somewhat when grown under differing climatic and growing conditions.
Initially the new variety was designed as breeding line 13-1 and subsequently has been named xe2x80x98Wintersxe2x80x99.